


Time is Like a River's Delta

by ItCameFromOuterAce



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Domestic Fluff, Gen, Parent Ardyn Izunia, Parenthood, Screw the Prophecy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-05
Updated: 2019-04-05
Packaged: 2020-01-05 06:15:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18360287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItCameFromOuterAce/pseuds/ItCameFromOuterAce
Summary: If your fate is predetermined, why spend it making yourself even more miserable?





	Time is Like a River's Delta

**Author's Note:**

> Not quite a Good!Ardyn au, but I'm working on some dad feels.
> 
> Thank's for the prompt, Nonny!

Ardyn Izunia rarely visited the city of Insomnia, but he would be damned (ha) if he let the gods dictate his _every_ move. It was a productive way to get away from Gralea when the politicking got tedious and Verstael was too enthralled with his latest monstrosity to provide an adequate diversion. He was ostensibly studying the city, preparing for the day the wall was ordained to fall, but that could be accomplished while also lounging in one of the tiny parks that dotted the urban landscape. It was on one such visit where he had the strangest encounter.

He’d been minding his own business; coffee in hand, contemplating a fountain sculpture with a plaque that eleged it to depict some previous oracle. He wasn’t sure how or why the artist had won the commission when they clearly despised either their subject or medium. The local wildlife seemed to also have opinions as several birds had anointed the long dead woman. Perhaps the sculptor had a gift themselves, foresaw the fate of the statue, and prepared it’s expression to be appropriately disgruntled. Just as the thought had occurred to Ardyn the scourge within him roiled with reflected pain. 

It wasn’t like when he was near hunters slaying daemons in the wilds or what he felt from the subjects as Verstael worked; it was softer, sweeter somehow. It also shouldn’t be within the wall. Everyone he’s tried to daemonify inside the city had sublimated immediately and the miasma dispersed. This bore investigation. Ardyn cast about briefly and was led to the far side of the little park, but all that was there was a young boy sprawled at the base of a tree. He was clutching a device, _a camera_ one of Ardyn’s new memories whispered.

The lad seemed more concerned for his camera than his leg, which looked to be scratched rather badly. He seemed healthy otherwise, perhaps a touch more baby fat than others, and blond; rare in the city. “Are you alright, child?” Startled, the boy jumped to his feet, or tried as his leg failed to support him. He twisted to look at Ardyn...with _Verstael’s_ eyes. Ardyn took a step back in shock, but swiftly reasserted his control and paused the proceedings with a twist of his magic. The boy froze, along with the birds and the breeze. Ardyn crouched down to examine the boy. The resemblance was too uncanny to be dismissed, but he didn't know if Verstael had tended toward softness in his youth. Perhaps the mother...

The accursed lost his train of thought there. Chief Researcher Besthia did not pursue the types of recreation that could result in a by-blow. He had little use for any pleasures outside his studies; Ardyn had only gotten as close as he had for being both. No, this was probably just a coincidence. Still, his cacophonous memories prodded at him. Some years ago Verstael had been beside himself for days when one of the experimental clones had been stolen. It had set the researchers back months; something about the scourge and improving on the telomeres, and there had been no few executions over the breach.

Ardyn knew he should leave before be burned through his magic holding off time. The boy wasn’t important ultimately, but something held him. He doubled his grip on the flow of time and gingerly reached to pluck at the boy’s odd cloth bracelet. There it was; the barcode that marked any clone produced at the facility. Ardyn rocked back on his heels and spent a few moments considering his options. 

*****

“...and that's how my brother learned to stay out of trees.” Ardyn finished the bandage with a knot and his story with a bow. Rapt eyes watched him. The boy, Prompto, was a delightful audience and patient. Ardyn patted Prompto’s leg and sent a small burst of the little healing magic he had left. Prompto wouldn't notice, but his scratches and sprain would be better by the time he got home. It helped that the miniscule amount of scourge within him was compatible with Ardyn’s.

“Now, do you need me to find a pay phone? I'm afraid I've no phone to call your parents, and I gather you don't either.” Prompto flushed and looked away. 

“Tha-Thank you, but I'll be ok.”

“Really, it’s no trouble. I'm sure they're worried and you shouldn't walk home on an injured leg.” Ardyn cast about briefly before spotting one next to the bus shelter. He rose to his feet. “If you'd be so good as to shout the numbers so I can dial I'd be grateful.”

“Wait! I, it's, they're...they’re not home. They’re working.” Prompto ended with a miserable whimper. Ardyn paused; mostly for dramatic affect, but also to consider the boy.

“Do...you not know their work number? Where do they work? I believe I could call someone to look up their employers.” Ardyn bluffed. Prompto squirmed, looking the picture of reluctant betrayal. Ardyn prodded again. “Prompto? Where do your parents work?”

“Accordo.” Prompto adopted an acute fascination with a pebble next to his foot. Ardyn sighed like the weight of the world was being placed on his shoulders again. 

*****

Ardyn realized this was worse than he’d thought when he looked through the bare cupboards. He’d thought that Prompto’s request to stop for fast food as Ardyn carried him home on his back was simply the boy looking for a treat after an ordeal. Now it seemed likely that it was his primary source of nutrition. Ardyn frowned at the ketchup and soy-sauce packets in the refrigerator. The food Verstael served at the facility was odd, but nutritionally sound. He’d never let a child subsist on naught but salt and grease for weeks at a time. Well, not unless he could learn from it, but the scientist was far from the boy as much as he occupied Ardyn’s thoughts.

Prompto was making himself busy hobbling about the table and arranging things just so. A sad reflection of a child playing at being a host; both more ernest and clumsier than Ardyn’s stolen memory of a dark-haired girl pouring imaginary tea seen through the eyes of a dotting elder brother. The girl had probably watched her mother perform the act hundreds of times; Prompto seemed to be following something he’d seen acted out on television. A truth fabricated out of fiction instead of play imitating life. Still, Ardyn took his seat and performed his half of the ceremony of hospitality. The potato things were truly disgusting.

*****

“NO! You’re _wrong_!” Prompto clutched the puppy which simply regarded Ardyn with weary intelligence. The empire’s machinations had had continued to tick along despite Ardyn’s frequent absences over the past year. He couldn’t regret it as he cared little for his ‘duties’ and seeing Prompto regard him like a sunflower turning to the sun when he dropped by every month or so was a miracle the likes of the draconian could never conceive. Of course the oracle’s dog would just happen to chance upon Prompto and play on his boy’s shy kindness. Ardyn was certain the dog was sent to disrupt the quiet domesticity he’d found in Insomnia. The god’s monster couldn’t be happy, oh no, what if it didn’t want Somnus’ bastard line to put him out of his misery?

“Prompto, stray dogs can be dangerous, just hand her to me and I’ll take her to a shelter. They have vets on staff who can help her. What if she’s sick? I just don’t want you getting ill from handling a street animal.” Ardyn wheedled. Unfortunately, Prompto’s soft nature belied the fact that he’d inherited his progenator’s stubborn nature. Ardyn realized his mistake when Prompto’s eye’s widened behind his glasses and he pounced on a new argument.

“So help me take care of her! You’re super smart with medicine and first aid, you always make me feel better.” The oracle’s beast looked from Ardyn to Prompto and back, dawning confusion in it’s canine face missed by Prompto who kept his eyes locked level with Ardyn where the Adagium knelt before him. Ardyn dropped his gaze to the puppy. He wasn’t sure, but he thought he saw his own resignation reflected in the dog’s eyes. She gave a tentative wag.

It turned out messengers differed from mundane dogs in temperament when she submitted to a bath with no complaint.

*****

“Is there something you need to tell me.” Prompto stated his question while Ardyn hung his hat in the hall of the boy’s tiny home. Ardyn paused, he was always taken aback when Prompto reminded him of Verstael. The scientist had said almost the same thing when Ardyn had asked him one too many questions about hypothetical fatherhood and the clones on his last visit. Ardyn brushed past Prompto and set his burdens down in the kitchen.

“Ah, yes. The shop was out of those noodles you like, so I got a different kind. We’ll have to figure out how to make a stir-fry instead of soup, but with our intelligence, fortitude, and good looks I think we can muddle through. Ardyn was frankly smug over how much Prompto’s diet had improved over the past year. Not that Ardyn had been much use to start with, but he’d figured out how to use a so-called modern kitchen to feed a growing boy.

“You’re not in trouble, but I need you to read this.” Ardyn quirked his eyebrow. The teacher Prompto was parroting was a patient older woman. Ardyn had made some subtle observations and decided he approved of Prompto’s schooling, despite his disreputable classmates. Prompto was trying to mimic her calm demeanor, but was squirming slightly as he held out a letter penned in an unfamiliar hand. Ardyn accepted it and moved to the table. After a few lines he sat down much harder than he had planned to. He read it through twice without looking up. He deeply regretted not taking “Tiny” to an overcrowded shelter and leaving her with the suggestion that she be tested for rabies.

“The young Lady asked you to not discuss this with me quite specifically in the second paragraph.” Prompto responded by making a rude noise. He'd grown into an immature sense of humor over the past year. It cut more deeply than Aera’s trident.

“Just ‘cause someone tells you ya gotta do something doesn't mean ya gotta.” Ardyn risked a glance at the boy. Seated as he was he looked slightly up to meet Prompto’s eye. A few months ago he had looked slightly down. It was good his legal parents were around often enough to keep him clothed and shod.

“Are you referring to Lady Lunafreya’s request or to the things she told you about me?” Ardyn knew he should leave. It wasn’t as though the boy could stop him. This had gone on long enough; a monster playing at raising another man’s son. Verstael would have had no use for the subject at this point; the specimen would have either been sublimated or dissected to conclude its use. Ardyn should never have come here. A small hand closed around his wrist, trapping him.

“I think it works for both.” Entreating blue eyes searched Ardyn’s. “Do- Dad, she said you’re gonna hurt people. She wants me to make friends with someone who’s gonna stop you. Let’s just run away!” Ardyn knew what it felt like when time stopped and this wasn’t it, but his existence contracted around a single word. He knew there was no was to escape the Draconian’s machinations; he’d need to leave if he wanted to escape his immortal torment. He...he hadn’t noticed that Prompto’s eyes were a touch closer to violet than Verstael’s.

*****

Prince Noctis and his retainers felt like they’d been on the road for ages by the time they pulled into Galdin. He hoped they’d have a chance to clean up before they made it to Altissia. They walked through the resort, past vacationing families and workers. There were a pair of who looked to be hunters discussing something with the chef at the Mother of Pearl as they passed through to the dock to check the ferry times. The shorter one noticed the entourage and turned to follow as they left.

“Hey there, Prince Noctis!” He trotted to catch the three men. The older man was watching from the bar. “I guess you didn’t hear, the ferry’s been stopped.” Gladio stepped forward so he was between the blond hunter and his charge. The hunter stopped. “Oh, sorry I’m Prompto, nice to meet you!”

**Author's Note:**

> For the prompt:  
> Prompto + Ardyn, Prompto Befriends The Wrong Lucis Caelum  
> Date: 2019-03-20 12:37 am (UTC)  
> From: (Anonymous)  
> Before getting Luna's letter, Prompto manages to befriend a strange man in the park who always tells the best stories. Having basically no parental figure, Prompto tries to soak up as much attention from the man as he can.
> 
> It had been a long time since Ardyn had been revered in such a way and he wasn't ashamed to admit that he liked the boy.
> 
> \+ Could go either a dark fic with Villain! Prompto down the line or a happy fic where everybody lives  
> ++ Ardyn genuinely cares about Prompto


End file.
